The Beginning of the AntiLife Equation Prophecy
by James631
Summary: They did not die. Only brought to another place where Lex Luthor and Darkseid will join forces to complete the Anti-Life Equation Prophecy.
1. Destroyer

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.

A special thanks to Bruce Timm and his team for making the world of heroes come alive. Another thanks to my on-line friend Geeky BMWW Fan for all her help.

The Beginning of the Anti-Life Equation Prophecy

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**Chapter One**

**Destroyer**

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His might was powerful, absolute, ruthless, unending for his foes. The one in black dared to strike at him and remarkably survived what all could not. The other, a coward but wise enough to flee against him. With a kick to his shortly recovering foe, Darkseid followed him downward with a leap. The drop was nothing for his body to stand. He was reborn power unlike anyone has ever known. The footsteps taken were slow and steady with thuds.

"Your friends have abandoned you or fallen before my might." A punched delivered that pushed Superman back and again that followed a sharp knee strike with Darkseid's hands combined and shot down the Man of Steel to the floor.

The pain inflicted was not enough. More was required to satisfy an entity such as he who was struck down by a mere mortal in tights. It was insulting to him. Hardly any strength was required to picked him up.

"Super or otherwise," Darkseid looked up at him. "You're merely a man. And I....am a god!"

Superman screamed out in pain feeling his back nearly broken in every way possible. The heart within him beat with a lesser tune at the end of his courage. Powerless to counter against such might he was dropped to the floor afterwards and wanted nothing more than to stay there. Though the ground was rough and lacked any comfort, it felt bitter sweet to the Man of Steel's aching body.

None of this was asked by him. To be on the frontlines of humanity's defense. He wanted to help people with his powers down the journey of life not become their savior. Rising back on two feet again was heavy and difficult but nonetheless the slug-fest between the two powers continued. The Man of Steel's fists drove for Darkseid but counted for nothing with his breaking spirit. Darkseid was evil and the lore he gave off bred dismay to those of whom he wished it to. A being of which was sorrow and suffering in physical form.

Powerful these elements of life were that fueled the dark lord. It chocked what joy found within, what love that could be stored in one's heart. Thoughts and the weight of it all were consuming and devastating the Man of Steel who was breaking under the stress. Darkseid was right, he was more powerful than ever.

The attacks he gave were nothing for Darkseid to endure and counter as he picked up Superman, turned and slapped him away.

What drove him to rise up again against the storm was beyond Clark's own understanding. He wanted to go home, wanted to roam the halls holding memories of times before the world needed him. To be young and naïve about things still yet to come. To be with family and friends all the time and to be without the pressure of a life that could not allow a failure.

Days of bliss back on the farm, how they are missed.

Punch and another punch and Superman fell back. The waves of emotional defeat were so foreign and unfamiliar to where he simply couldn't handle it. Lost in a void of darkened despair not felt since leaving the Black Mercy's world behind.

Another punch and it sent Clark to the ground once more.

Everything was lost.

The grunts were heard and to the dreary Man of Steel's eyes as he looked up, Bruce, his friend returned to his aid. A man of great strength but nonetheless of human strength continuing to fight as if he could stand a chance against such a tide.

Couldn't he?

Beginning with a warmth in his heart, Clark could feel it again. The shimmering hope he carried within himself -a hope all carried within them- surfacing against its burial of anguish refusing to die. More powerful than whatever strength the light of the sun could feed him, the heart of the Man of Steel was renewing.

"You still try to fight?" Darkseid questioned. With but a mere grab and toss he was ride of the annoyance on his back. It was bothersome to see such resistance in someone with no hope of victory. He was the ultimate being of fear and discord. How could any resist against his likes?

"Can't you see that its hopeless?"

As quickly as the words fell off his tongue, Darkseid's bitter expression turned into one of shock as a fist came flying at him. He skidded against the ground against such force not felt before.

A fire was burning within Clark. The fear given to him by Darkseid was replaced with a righteous fury. He swung until Darkseid fell against the wall at which Superman grabbed at his throat. He wasn't going to allow this devil win.

"That man wont quit so long as he can still draw a breath, none of my teammates will!" He stared coldly. "Me? I got a different problem."

A fist went back and launched forward and again until Darkseid broke through the wall.

"I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard," he spoke to the downed foe as he approached. "Always taking care to not lose control even for a second...or someone could die."

A confidence Darkseid scorned at as he made to attack again. His offense was easily dodged and returned in kind that sent him back to the ground.

"...But you can take it can't ya _big man_?" Superman asked mockingly.

He stopped and boldly stood against the turning of the storm. "What we have here is a rare opportunity for me to cut loose and show you just how powerful I _really_ am."

Weight shifted from his backed leg and lunged forward as the Man of Steel took flight. A stray thought caught him that powered Superman's anger towards the dark lord.

_Lois, Dan, Van_....

It was because of beings like Darkseid that the lives of those Clark cared for were either stripped of it or forced away from him by the wedge the never ending battle created. The controlled fury found its way into his arm and fist and it collided with Darkseid. The energies of the world around them shifted against the force and without fail sent Superman's foe into the sky. Crashing through building after building until Clark zoomed ahead with arms folded across his chest.

Darkseid flew powerless to resist as Superman lifted his arms together and hammered down on him. The fall was great and the impact left a wound in the earth. Darkseid felt the weight of the assault on him as his body stiffened.

"Had enough?" Superman flew down to him.

Darkseid rose to face the challenge. "Not...quite...yet."

Superman charged forward.

The energy of it was unleashed before Superman could realize and was caught in it.

"Ahhhh!" he screamed and flew back powerless on the ground.

Darkseid stood tall against the in pain foe.

"It's called the Agony Matrix," he began to approach. "Direct neural stimulant of pain receptors...all of them." His domineer was as calm as every in the face of great suffering. "Imagine the worst pain you've felt in your life times a thousand. Now imagine that pain continuing on...forever."

His foot stopped just short of foot away.

"Oh, that's right. You don't have to imagine."

The moments passed by quickly for one of them and was as slow as any lifetime.

"Still alive?" He paused. "you impress me kryptonian. More, your valor has touched my heart. Oh yes, there is still some small part of me that knows mercy. I will end your pain." he reached for his arm and removed a small device.

He drew its green blade out. "With something I've been saving just for this occasion," he paused to listen to the man's screams that were growing quieter.

"I'm going to carve out your heart and stick it on a pick in my throne room."

He stepped forward, suit and all. It was time to make the deal that will end all deals.

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**To be Continued...**

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Author's note: The hopelessness Superman was feeling was something I came up with. When I watched the fighting again between the two powers, I don't believe it was mere tiring that caused Superman to fight so poorly for the most part. It said that Darkseid feeds off of the despair or something and that it powers him. Given his new rebirth, I figured it can be a reason why so many fail to beat him. He gives off waves of hopelessness and breaks the spirit that effect those around him. Batman was uneffected because he is use to such things as to being weary and poor in spirit.


	2. First Step to the Endgame

Disclaimer: I do not own the DC comic characters.

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**Chapter Two**

**First Step to the Endgame**

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The Anti-Life.

Powerful, absolute, an ending to all means of life. Where they were was indescribably calm. Air nor any feelings of the natural could be sensed. It was a formless of a feeling and of the absence of existence yet with a beauty he couldn't describe. Among the haze of a featureless universe they found themselves and the last thing Lex Luthor remembered before his arrival to this place was regrettably saving Superman's life. A sad and ironic event for all the years spent trying to kill the Man of Steel. Hatred for the alien flowed through Luthor's veins like a poison. A passion of jealously and contempt which he could admit had formed into a slight madness. Even madness had a place and time as a more important enemy needed subduing was the self-proclaimed god, Darkseid. Now it would be his curse for doing the one good deed in saving Superman and the Earth itself. To spend the rest of entirety in the void of the Anti-Life Equation had brought him with only Darkseid as a traveling companion.

Though stranded in this haze of what Luthor deemed another dimension he couldn't forget what it felt like in holding the Anti-Life Equation. The sensation that tingled through his arm and to gaze through it was beyond comprehension of words. Being nothing close to anything Luthor ever experienced in his wildest moments of power. His intellect, exceeding far beyond the limits of the common man, was being put to the test at understanding what was going on now that it brought him here. Wherever here was

"Where are we?" Despite the confusion of the situation confidence was easily spoken in the man's words.

The powerful Darkseid remained silent. He and Luthor continued floating forward in a blurring cloud of white mist. Dreams of long and hard years of searching for this moment of experiencing to finally be at last have in his possession the Anti-Life Equation. His hands held strongly behind his back and his face steeled of any emotional expression. The dark lord's appearance was calm and powerful as ever, yet Darkseid could not begin to describe the feelings his insides were experiencing.

"I asked you a question!" Luthor shouted.

"Be silent. My gratitude for you at bringing me this gift will only grand you so much patience from me."

With no advantage to hold on his side, Luthor bittered his expression. He turned away and chose to be silent. At the moment, the brawn outweighed the brain.

Darkseid enjoyed the blessed silent as the two travel further into the cloud. While awe was something not experienced by him for sometime, the insides of the dark lord energized with excitement. The answer to everything sought throughout his life was his. This is where the Anti-Life send them, in its grasp and with its power the chaos of life will be shackled into his ordered discipline.

The calmness of the world they were in broken to the beginnings of a lighting storm forming around them. Darksied looked to the right and left with not an ounce of fear felt through his bones. Through the fires of Apocalypse and death he no longer feared what the universe could throw at him. Luthor's human instincts on the other hand went haywire to warn him of the danger. He was too strong willed of a man and held to much pride in himself to let fear overtake him. Inside himself however the resolve to ignore the sense of fear was nearly impossible to overcome.

"Darkseid?" Luthor questioned.

The mist around them moved closer and sought out its seeker.

"Incredible," was all he said.

The dark lord stretched out his hand in hopes to touch it. His jaw dropped seeking for it. Resistance built up to keep him away.

"It is..." Darkseid's face grimed further while pushing to grasp for his dream.

Luthor watched with excitement. What they were dealing with was power, power itself that he knew was destiny.

"The answer to the life problem. Its existance and to control it."

The world deepened into darkness and the lightening roared around them.

Darkseid began grunting trying to force his hand forward into the mist.

"What's wrong?"

Darkseid turned his sights down forcing all his power into fighting what was resisting him.

"Something is keeping me away from understanding. Keeping me from knowing." He struggled. "Help me!"

He wanted it...needed it. Pride nor ego would stand in Darkseid's way if it meant getting what he so desperately sought to attain.

Not sure what he could do, Luthor moved closer to aid him. Before contributing to Darkseid's efforts lightening gathered around and danced around them in circles.

"What is this-?" Luthor broke into screaming as the lightening struck him.

The lightening struck at Darkseid who refused to yield in his efforts. His struggles held out as long as possible before the lightening penetrated into the eyes of the dark lord. He screamed and relinquished his arm from reaching as both he and Luthor were under some sort of attack. It was not a pain of their bodies, but of the mind.

Luthor stared at everything his mind was being fed. Working at collecting everything before it passed him by in the mountain loads of thoughts.

"Darkseid," Luthor strained. "what is all this?"

Darkseid felt it course through his body. Pain was unlike any he had felt before at once and he loved it. He was understanding now. How everything was so perfectly falling into place. From his actions in past pursuit of it had all led to this moment of triumph.

Everything had changed now.

Darkseid could feel it. What was before was undone now.

A figure seated on a throne of power in a world of fire and an ordered existence. No useless dreams or hope were carried within them. All were slaves to the being in the shadows with red glowing eyes. All existence of life was torn down into order under his guidance.

The sight of which was breathtaking.

"Events, Mr. Luthor. Past, present, and future. All of which have lead to implementing the power of the Anti-Life Equation over everything."

Things and events rushing through him in a haze of fast movement. It all created a tunnel that drew closer to its end where a figure's backside stood before Luthor. The first sense told him that his being was an all knowing being. The room held a ominous dark blue-green glow and gave off a haunting sense of an otherworldly nature. The being had his backside to Luthor as it looked out into a world of his design. One of ultimate understanding of the mind. Tubes connected into his metal covered body fed power and knowledge into him. It was unnatural and natural to the man's eyes. The thing had horns, devilry like in appearance. It was painful and pleasureful as to what was happening to the being.

It turned with two glowing gold eyes with a smile Luthor stood shocked at. Just as quickly as he had come to it, Luthor was rushed back to Darkseid's side and the lightening entering them ceased.

Luthor gasped for air.

"Its everything that is to come." Darkseid turned to a heavenly view.

"Really?" Luthor said almost with disinterested. "Surely there is more to the beauty of the Anti-Life than knowing the future."

Darkseid finally looked at him. "Are you so blind that you can't see, fool? You, whom has found the equation." He lifted his arm out as if presenting the events of his mind into the clouds they both bore witness to. "Events in the universe that must truly come about before the power of the Anti-Life..." Darkseid reached again for the answer in the mist was confronted with the same resistance found from before. "...can be mine."

"And these future events having not occurred yet-"

"May not ever occur if nothing is done to aid them." Darkseid declared. His eyes releasing flames from his pupils. "Not by mere chance that I was brought back from the clutches of death to where you and I are here at this moment to witness all of this. You and I Luthor are the products that will bring about the total control over all life."

Luthor eyes wondered about. Was what he saw true? Could this be the answer to all life's questions he sought then?

He smiled. "Than what your saying is, we have to help these things along in order to have control over the Anti-Life. Correct?"

"Yes," Darkseid said, returning his sights back to the mist. He gave up trying to breach it. "And to my disgust, it would appear Earth and its populace seem to play the largest part in acquiring it."

"As does he does," Darkseid pressed a button on his body and up came a picture of the Man of Steel.

Inner joy found in Luthor at once again being on step ahead of another rival was cut short when he looked at another displaying image. "Superman? What does he have to do with any of this?" He inched forward to the image and in front of Darkseid.

"Hmm...." Darkseid rubbed his chin. "It would seem that the kryptonian has a significant part to play in this as well. I am almost pleased at not killing him."

"Darkseid, there is so much we saw here. Managing to figure all of it out, a lot of these events need to take place far beyond Earth and Apocalypse.

"That is why, it will fall upon me to ensure that each and every one of them outside our two worlds happens."

"And Earth?" Luthor questioned.

Darkseid made a noticeable inhale. "My presence will not go unnoticed there. That responsibility will fall upon your shoulders, Mr. Luthor."

"Me?!"

"As much as I would like to believe that the Anti-Life prophecy is absolute, my experience with the kryptonian race has taught me that even the most foretelling of events can be averted."

_Prophecy_...

The word spoke had stood out with such volume Luthor couldn't help but feel the power of its usage. He watched with a careful eye at the self proclaimed god. There was something that the dark lord wasn't telling him.

"Earth isn't going to be welcoming back with open arms."

"Than stay out of its sights. I shall return you to Earth regardless while I deal with the vastness of events that the galaxy must experience for my ascent to power over life."

"Equipment Darkseid. I'll need weapons and supplies then. I wouldn't want to be caught powerless against Superman if and when he tries to disrupt anything that needs my intervention."

"Easily solvable, Luthor. My science will construct a battle suit for you that will be more than capable of handling Superman."

"Enough to kill him?"

Darkseid's eyes fired. "Enough to, but you will do no such thing."

Luthor caught the message and moved to avert the dark being's wrath. "It will have to be more than that now. He's got a lot of super-powered friends at his disposal."

Darkseid held his hands behind his back and stared forward. "No power is greater in the known existence of anything that I cannot match, Luthor." his eyes blazed out fire again.

Concentrating, Darkseid summoned an end to all that they were seeing. In a blink of an eye the clouded world of the Anti-Life converged in on itself until it was once again whole in Darkseid's hand. The world that replaced it was that of the fiery Apocalypse

"The power to control all life is at hand. Am I correct in assuming you can handle your part in bringing about the new order?"

Luthor smiled, _more than you know_, he said mentally to himself.

"Yes, Darkseid."

Darkseid smiled. "Very well, Mr. Luthor. My minions will guide you to where your battle suit will be constructed."

"Good. Than what of you and the equation?" Luthor doubted the same image he saw would display itself to Darkseid. He knew it was for him and and him alone to know.

"The equation will remain with me."

It couldn't have been in more safer of hands. Parademons escorted Luthor away with some annoyed resistance on his part, leaving the dark lord alone.

Darkseid's hellish world as he floated above it on a flying disk was admirable in his eyes. There was order and pain, all of which was under his control. With but another look at the bright equation resting in his palm, the dark lord knew he could bestow such a blessing on the entire universe. It was destined to be so.

His army already well returned from the war on Earth as Darkseid sat upon his throne. No doubt New Genesis would attack him now that he had breached the treaty. It didn't matter, he knew what must be done. New Genesis would fall and would become another of his conquests in the end.

Generals from his army and their slaves approached; falling on their knees begging for forgiveness for failure on Earth. If given any other day, Darkseid would not have thought twice in demonstrating the price of failure. However, he was in a generous mood and he needed his pawns for the events still yet to come. He dismissed them and warned that another failure would not be looked upon with such forgiving eyes again.

There was the fiery silence of his throne room before a explosion from above interrupted. Darkseid smiled at expecting the attack to happen sooner. New Genesis and her armies were above his skies now.

It didn't matter, he had the Anti-Life Equation. He could finally feel at peace knowing that his order was well under way. All the while, the dark lord could not shake the presence of another life form around him. Not that of a physical form, that he was sure of. But a conscious presence with a mechanical feeling to it. However, he dismissed it; reasoning there was sure to be repercussions to his psyche after having been magically raised from the dead.

As the throne room rumbled from the fighting and small pebbles fell from the ceiling, Darkseid remained motionless on his throne. The war would be fought and won. His armies would not dare to fail him. Earth would soon have his agent to ensure the events needed for the Anti-Life took place. The stars above could be easily dealt with. No need to worry as his resources were vast enough to carry across the galaxy.

All was in place and was as it should be. Darkseid could not feel more like a god than he ever believed possible.

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**Not the End...**

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A much in need of editing and revamp of the story....whose ready to see what happens in future stories? Like the plot? All of my Justice League stories built off of one another. All going by publishing order.


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